Bass Fishing: Top 10 baits of 2019

In 2019 we fished more than 25 states and 3 countries. We had the opportunity to test lures against bass in every situation imaginable! During our travels a handful of baits stood out from the rest. These lures were the true "best of the best". They caught numbers of quality fish everywhere we went but they also caught the BIG bass we all dream of catching. 

When traveling everything familiar fades away. You know longer have "spots" to fish. You rely 100% on clues given by the fish to develop patterns. In addition to developing patterns on the water, patterns in the gear will emerge as well. By the time our 2 month road trip around the country ended, a handful of baits had proven themselves from coast to coast. Add in a few catches North and South of the border this Spring and Fall and its easy to identify this year's Top 10 Baits for consistently catching bass.

Below is a breakdown of the baits (in order of appearance) along with a few color recommendations for each lure. If you're looking for baits that you can trust to consistently get bit regardless of where you fish, look no further than this list. 

The baits... 

-6th Sense Mini Mag Squarebill: http://bit.ly/31KGyeC

(Ghost Threadfin Shad, Ghost Shad Scales)

-Megabass 3" Dark Sleeper: http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

(Haze, Donko, Wakasagi)

-Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz Duh Spoon: http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

(Morning Dawn, Electric Chicken)

-River2Sea 1/2 oz Bling Spinnerbait: http://bit.ly/2diSwqq

(Abalone Shad, I Know It, Iced)

-Jackall Kaera Frog: http://bit.ly/2Fz6SA3

(Glitter Bluegill, Glitter Hasu, White)

-Big Bite Baits Smallie smasher: http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY

(Green Pumpkin Org Blk Purp Prl Bl, Smoke Purple Flake)

-Keitech 4.8 Swing Impact Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

(Electric Shad, Pro Blue Red Pearl, Tennessee Shad)

-River2Sea S-Waver 168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

(Light Trout, Warden Hitch, Bluegill)

-Yamamoto 5” Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

(Green Pumpkin Blk Flk, Watermelon/Green Pumpkin, Natural Shad)

-Dirty Jigs 3/8 oz Finesse Jig: http://bit.ly/2eJinXo

(Supermatt Brown, Go To, Brown Craw)

Buyer's Guide: Dropshot Gear For Bass Fishing

In today's Holiday Buyer's Guide we're exploring Dropshot Tackle. Tim shares his favorite worms, hooks, weights, and gear. Whether you dropshot out of necessity or because its your favorite technique, there is something in here for every bass fisherman. In addition to gear, Tim gives away a couple of his favorite tricks to catch more fish while losing less gear. Don't miss the part about tie-on weights!

Dropshot fishing has been around for nearly two decades but its effectiveness hasn't waned at all. Bass simply cannot resist a suspended worm when it is being worked properly. Learning how to work it properly is the key; don't fall into the trap of working your bait the same year round. As a rule of thumb, baits should be worked much more aggressively in warm water than in cold. When it comes to color, natural is almost always best with a couple of odd exceptions. The colors "Morning Dawn" (Pink) and "Margarita Mutilator" (Bright Purple) work shockingly well despite looking like nothing in nature. These are the kinds of tricks that come with time but Tim is sharing them readily in this video.

Below is a breakdown of the baits (including color recommendations) that Tim has confidence in. You'll also find links to his favorite hooks and weights, as well as rods and reels. Each link goes directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see up close pictures. Whether you're watching this video for yourself or for a loved one, we've made it as easy as possible to find the products you need.

Dropshot Worms...

-Roboworm 6" Straight Tailed Worm: http://bit.ly/2asZyH3

(Morning Dawn, Margarita Mutilator, Oxblood Light Red)

-Roboworm 4.5" Fat Worm: http://bit.ly/2awYSxM

(Morning Dawn, Margarita Mutilator, Oxblood Light Red)

-Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm: http://bit.ly/2CMB33J

(Lickity Split, Spanish Fly, Violator, Green Pumpkin)

-Big Bite Baits Smallie Smasher: http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY

(Green Pumpkin Purple, Smoke Purple Flake)

-Damiki Armor Shad 3": http://bit.ly/2VQ7g6o

(American Shad, PB Silver, RP Blue Pearl, Pro Blue)

Dropshot Hooks...

Tim's Favorite- Owner Mosquito Light 1 or 1/0: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

-Owner Cover Shot Dropshot Hook: http://bit.ly/2ISr7bR

Dropshot Weights...

Tim's Favorite- Swagger Tungsten Pencil Tie-On Weight: http://bit.ly/2YAoMuv

-Swagger Tungsten Teardrop Weight: http://bit.ly/2V2B63h

-Swagger Tungsten Pencil Dropshot Weight: http://bit.ly/2UY7cgx

-West Coast Quick Drops Lead Weights: http://bit.ly/2BjFCp3

Tim's Favorite Combo...

Rod- G Loomis NRX 822S DSR: http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Reel- Shimano Exsence 3000: http://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Line- Sunline SX-1 Braid 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper Fluorocarbon 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget-Friendly Dropshot Combo...

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'6" Light: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

Reel- Shimano NASCI 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Power Pro 15 lb: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 8 lb: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Buyer's Guide: Winter Bass Fishing Baits That Always Work

From giant swimbaits to ultra-finesse, this video is covering everything you need for Winter Bass Fishing. We respect anglers that brave the elements and fish through the Winter so we're giving up all our best tricks to consistently catch fish through the Winter months. Don't fall into the slow fishing trap in Winter; you can catch fish fast, slow, and everywhere in between if you know when to make the adjustments.

Today's video is all about keeping it simple. These are our best confidence baits for the cold water months. The only baits missing are the dropshot and Ned Rig but we'll be covering those in their own video in the coming days. In addition to the baits, Tim gives some awesome tips on the Tube and A-rig and Matt shares some knowledge on the big swimbait and crankbait.

"Winterizing the boat" should be a thing of the past if your lakes don't freeze solid. Get out on the water, apply these tips, and catch some of the best bass of the year! Below is a breakdown of the baits and equipment the guys discussed in the video. Each bait is linked direct to Tackle Warehouse where you can see close up photos and detailed descriptions of them.

A-rig...

-G Funk A-Rigs: http://bit.ly/2n8cOGO

-Matt Allen Swimbait Heads 3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

-Keitech 3.8 Swimbaits: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Rage Swimmer 4.75 Swimbaits: http://bit.ly/2evZF8j

Crankbait...

-Tactical DD Crank 75: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

(Ghost Minnow, Mirrored Minnow, Glass Minnow)

Small Swimbait...

-Megabass Dark Sleeper: http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

(Haze, Hanahaze, Wakasagi)

Underspin...

-Cool Baits Down Under Spin 1/8-3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

-Keitech 2.8" Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Tubes...

-Dry Creek Tournament Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

-Big Bite Baits Tour Tube: http://bit.ly/32e23VR

-Bite Me Flat Eye Tube Head 3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2diyVXK

Neko...

-Daiwa Fat Neko Worm: http://bit.ly/2o2O3LG

-Swagger Tungsten Nail Weight: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

-Owner Sniper Finesse Neko Hook: http://bit.ly/2kfdv37

Jig...

-Dirty Jigs Finesse Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2d2apsm

(Supermatt Brown, Go To, Green Pumpkin Craw)

-5" Twin Tail Grub Trailer: http://bit.ly/2qS1YtE

(Green Pumpkin, Tilapia)

Big Swimbait...

-Huddleston Deluxe 8" Swimbait (ROF 5): http://bit.ly/2UVHiuQ

-Huddleston Deluxe 8" Swimbait (ROF 12): http://bit.ly/2azFTon

(Trout, Ayu, Silver/Blue)

Buyer's Guide: Creature Baits, Big Worms, and Craws

Do you have a favorite creature bait? Did it make the list? Today's video is about finding new creatures and worms for the upcoming year. With all the amazing options on the market today, Matt and Tim compiled their absolute favorite baits to share with you. If you want to try something different this year, look no further than this awesome list of creatures, worms, stick baits, and craws!

With 100's of brands making soft plastics and each brand offering at least a dozen different styles, how can you possibly know where to start? Each style of bait has a time and a place. We love the subtle baits in cold water, the aggressive flapping baits in warm water, and a compact profile in heavy cover. Its hard to beat a big worm dragged deep in Summer or a slow falling stick bait for shallow Spring bass. The good news is we've already done the hard work!

We've spent the last several decades trying 1000's of different baits from 100's of brands and we've found a handful of favorites that really stand out from the crowd. Today we're showing you the stand outs in no particular order. If you see something you might want to try, you'll find a link below that goes straight to that product on Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions. The baits are listed in the same order they appeared in the video to make it simple for you and we've included a handful of color recommendations for each one as well.

The baits...

-Keitech Crazy Flapper: http://bit.ly/2c3cXrp

Colors- Double Trouble, Green Pumpkin Fire

-NetBait T-Mac Worm 6.5": http://bit.ly/2jndwj9

Colors- Bama Bug, Junebug, Kentucky Special

-Zoom Magnum Swamp Crawler: http://bit.ly/2eMxvXR

Colors- Green Pumpkin, Junebug

-Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig: http://bit.ly/2s51oIV

Colors- Hematoma, Tramp Stamp, Magic Craw Swirl

-Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver: http://bit.ly/29W3RZW

Colors- Delicious, Green Pumpkin Red, Magic Craw Swirl

-Big Bite Baits Wacky Stick: http://bit.ly/2rrNT6g

Colors- Green Pumpkin, Tilapia, Watermelon Red

-Jackall Archelon: http://bit.ly/2uo4sN5

Colors- School Bluegill, Green Pumpkin, Black Blue Silver

-Strike King Fat Baby Finesse: http://bit.ly/2jqIGEJ

Colors- Desert Craw, Magic, TW Green Pumpkin

-Zoom Baby Brush Hog: http://bit.ly/2bnpCRx

Colors- Castaic Choice, Green Pumpkin Blue, Watermelon Red

-Zoom Ol' Monster: http://bit.ly/2P5QZbq

Colors- Green Pumpkin, Junebug, Red Bug

-Big Bite Flying Squirrel: http://bit.ly/2sn1FaT

Colors- Green Pumpkin, Tilapia, Watermelon Red

- Strike King Bull Worm 8": http://bit.ly/2Iqhy3w

Colors- Black Blue, TW Green Pumpkin, Junebug

-Strike King Game Hawg: http://bit.ly/2pfGxir

Colors- Blue Craw, Candy Craw, TW Green Pumpkin

-Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Colors- Baby Bass, Natural Shad, Green Pumpkin Black Flake

-Big Bite Baits Battle Bug: http://bit.ly/2R553l9

Colors- Green Pumpkin, Ozark Craw, Tilapia

Favorite Terminal Tackle For These Baits...

Wide Gap hook- Gamakatsu EWG Superline: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

Tungsten- Swagger Vader Paintless Weights: http://bit.ly/2NjDYtV

Peg- 6th Sense Peg X: http://bit.ly/2bHjowk